Autoiviatic lamp-extinguisher



(No Model.) 2'Sh eets- Sheet 1;

L. C. KIDDr AUTOMATIC LAMP EXTINGUISHER.

Patented May 31, 1887..

I WITNESSES N PETERS. Phobuflwgraphor, Walhinginn. D. C.

(No Modl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. C. KIDD. AUTOMATIC LAMP EXTiNGUISHER.

No-..363,830. Patented May' 31, 1887.

. m w R n m M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC LEWIS C. KIDD, OF RICHMOND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES P.

ROBINSON, OF MANCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC LAM P-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent. No. 363,830, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed anuary 22, 1 887. Serial No. 225,166. (No model.)

. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Automatio Lamp-Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification,

reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic lamp-extinguishers, and it is intended to be used in railway-cars for the purpose of automatically extinguishing the lamps at the moment of a collision, should one occur.

The fearful destruction of both life and property upon railroads within recent years attendant on collisions and mishaps generally, upon investigation almost always developes the fact that the main loss is attributable to the catching on fire of the wreck, either from the lamps or from the stoves, should it be winter season. It is to avoid the former of these dangers -namely, the ignition of the wreck 2 5 from the lamps-that my present invention is directed. To extinguish the fire in the stove is the object of another application filed by me of evendate herewith.

For the sake of convenience and 'clearness I 0 will describe only one=of a series of lamps in a 5 guishes all. i

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding features, Figure 1 represents a longi- 0 tudinal sectional view througha lamp and the mechanism to extinguish the same. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, showing the actuating-rod. .Fig. 3 is a detail view of the operat-' ing-lever, showing the lug whichis engaged by 4 5 the actuating-rod. Fig. 4 is an enlargedview.

of a box, (containing a spring,) a ratchetwheel, and the clutch devices; Fig. 5, a modified form of device for disengaging the actuating-lever; and Fig 6 a vidvvofla car, showing the same provided with my im proved de- Vices.

The letter A designates an ordinary lampburner casing, the same being held or fastened by any suitable means in a plate, B, preferably of metal, and the latter mounted and supported by brackets. in any of the usual ways.

The interior of the casing is provided with the usual burner or wick-tube, O, and through the lower .portion is passed a shaft, D, pr0- videdwith small spur-wheels E, which engage with the wick and elevate or depress it, ac-

cording to the direction in which the shaft is turned, The end of this shaft D is provided with the usual milled head or button, F, (in

this instance one member of a clutch,) by

means of which the shaft is. operated. I pro vide the button, however, at opposite points with apertures G, for a purpose which will presently appear.

Located below and extending slightly above the plate. B is a spring-containing box, H, in the opposite sides of which is journaled the shaft I, and to which is secured one end of the spring J, the other eud of said spring being fastened to the shaft I. Beyond the box in the direction of the lamp, and rigidly mounted on the shaftI, is a ratchet-wheel, K, the purpose of which will presently appear.

A spiral spring, L, is mounted on the shaft I, and abuts at one end against the ratchet-wheel and at the other against the disk or other member of the clutch M, in order toforce the studs N into the apertures G of the button F.

The disk is made adjustable, so that when it is desired to trim orarrange the lamp the members of the clutch may be disunited, and the wick may be raised or lowered at pleasure by hand, after which operation the two members of the clutch are brought together and the lamp is again in connection with the rest of the series.

The letter O designates a spring pivoted to the plate at one end and bearing at the other against one of the bent arms, I, of the extinguisher-tongue Q, the. other arm, R, restin upon the upper surface of the actuating" bellcrank lever S. This lever S is also pivoted to the plate B, and is provided at one end with a detent or catch, T,which catches into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel K, and at the other end with a lug, U, which is engaged by the actuating-rod V.

. detent on the bell-crank-lever.

The plate B is provided with small studs or projections W, and the rod V, where it reaches these points at every lamp, is curved or bent inwardly, as represented, between the points W W, so as to engage the lug U.

Near the end of the car is pivoted a lever, X, to one end of which is secured a rod, V, and to the other end .of which is fastened an extension thereof, which goes through. the frame of the car and is provided with a collar and a spring on the exterior, as also with a hufl'et-plate, Z. The spring tends normally to keep all the lamps in their proper relative position, as they are all worked by the sameact-natingrod.

When it is desired to light thelamps, a key is applied to the end I of the shaft, which extends through the springcontaining box, and several turns given it.so asto wind upthe spring and raise the wick sufliciently to properly light the lamps. The lamps are then lighted as usual; but the spring is held wound by the Should a eollision occur, however, the buffet-plates Z are impinged against each other, the lever X thrown in the direction of the arrows, the. crank or bend in the rod Vpulls the lug U on the actuating-lever to one side, simultaneously releasing the detent from the ratchet-wheel K,

and the spring, by virtue of its resiliency, turns the shaft I and through its connectionslqwers *the wick. At the same moment the pressure of the spring 0 upon the arm P throws the extinguishingtongue Q upon the wick-and smothers the flame, and thus all the lights in the train are in a moment extinguished.

It is obvious that modifications in the details of the construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, the

essential features of which are to turn down the wick in the lamps and to extinguish them simultaneously with the moment of collision of trains.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of device for disengaging the actuating-lever from its engagement with the ratchet-wheel. In this instance the rod V is comparatively short, and to its end is attached a chain or cord, which passes over a pulley and is provided with a weight at its end, supported on a conveniently-located shelf, Z.

Should the trains collide or be upset, the weight would fall from its'shelf, the rod V be pulled in the direction of the arrow, and the point T of the lever be thrown out of its engagement with the ratchet.

As just described, there would be a weight for every lamp; 'but I may find it more desirable to have one weight at the end of the long rod. v

I am aware that it is not broadly new to automatically extinguish lamps, either by means of weights or by means of springs, and I do not wish,therefore, to be understood as broadly laying claim to such; but

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the casing of a lamp and devices to sustain and support it, the wick-lowering shaft having its end provided with one member of a clutch, the springactuated shaft provided with a ratchet and having the other member of the clutch, and a spring interposed between the ratchet and the clutch member to force the two members into engagement, of a bell-'crank-lever mounted so as to be engaged by the ratchetat one'end and the actuating-rod at the other.

2. The combination, with a railway-ear pro vided with lamps and means to support them, a spring-actuated shaft to lower the wick, and a detent to hold the shaft from rotating, of a rod connected with said detent and extending beyond the ends of the car and having its outer ends provided .with buffet-plates, whereby when said plates are struck the rod is moved,

the detent disengaged from the wick-lowering shaft, and said shaft allowed to rotate and lower the wick. 3. The combination, with a railway-car provided with lampsand means to support them, an extinguishing-tonguetosmother the wick, and a lever to operate the same, and aspringactuated shaft to lower the wick previous to the descent of the tongue, the shaft having a ratchet and a lever mounted in proximity. to engage said ratchet, of an actuatingrod to engage the lever and provided at its ends with buffet-plates which,when struck,move the rod, operate the lever and simultaneously release the means to lowerthe wick and to extinguish the flame.

1 In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. LEWIS O. KIDD; \Vitnesses:

J. B. GooDE, PLEASANT Goons. 

